Boko Haram Kills 83 In New Attacks, Releases Video of 3 Captives Pleading for Help

Three university employees kidnapped in a Boko Haram massacre of 69 northeast Nigerians plead for the Nigerian government and others to meet the terrorists’ demands in this July 28th video.YouTube video screengrab

Boko Haram killed at least 83 civilians and soldiers in two separate attacks in northeast Nigeria in the past week before releasing a video of three new captives pleading for help.

In its bloodiest attack this year, the militants killed at least 69 in a July 25th ambush on an oil exploration team in the Magumeri area of Borno, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported July 30 after the last body was recovered. A separate attack, a suicide bombing carried out by one or two people on July 29, killed 14 and injured 24 in the Borno town of Dikwa, according to separate reports from Reuters and AFP.

In a video appeal reportedly recorded July 28 and released the next day, three members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) exploration team, who identified themselves as University of Maiduguri employees, asked the Nigerian government and others to meet the terrorists’ demands.

“I want to advise that the use of excessive force, it is not the solution,” a man who identified himself as a lecturer in the geology department of the university, said on the four-minute video. “They have promised us that if their demands are met, they will release us immediately to go back to the work we were caught doing.”

No demands were stated in the video posted at YouTube. The terrorists typically demand ransoms, according to news reports, and have released captives in exchange for the freedom of imprisoned Boko Haram fighters.

The captured men gave their names as Yusuf Ibrahim, Solomon N. Yusuf and Haruna, Vanguard News reported. The men appeared unharmed but barefoot in an unidentified structure, and emphasized that they were captured July 25.

The jihadists have killed at least 113 people in northeast Nigeria since June 1, Reuters said July 29. Independent security experts have countered claims made by Nigerian President Muhammad Buhari nearly eight months ago that Boko Haram has been essentially defeated. In December of 2016, Buhari said the fighters were so weakened they were only able to conduct isolated attacks by suicide bombers.